Report
It is not often that I see my two favourite clubs meet, and it was a pleasure to see the youngsters of Arsenal at Top Field, where there was a contrast of Academy finesse against the more prosaic but effective doyens of The Southern League. It may have been young men against boys but I am sure much was gained by the experience.
I will say that as nice as it was to win 2-0, it would have been more satisfying if Arsenal had let a Hitchin player score instead of netting two own goals. I sent a tongue in cheek message to my nephew, a rabid Arsenal supporter, which read ‘Mighty Arsenal Humbled By Hitchin,’ which he, like me saw it as a fairy tale headline. Like many, I wondered how many of those lads in the famous Gunners’ strip would make it all the way to the first team.
The last time I saw Arsenal play was in a mini tournament, where a defensive blunder gave Chelsea the lead. Today, the young guns showed they had learned the lesson from the masters and, under pressure they conceded an own goal, courtesy of Josh Robinson, a central defender who has excellent potential. We had barely played five minutes.
It was clear that the Canaries wanted to do well against the emerging young professionals and as such it was a fairly feisty performance, with positive attacking moves and with proper attention paid to precise defending. An example of this was when K’hayon Edwards was seeming to improve on a half chance, but Max Ryan defended rigorously. Ryan made this the hallmark of his game today and later, in blocking an intended shot he was chastised by the referee.
Callum Stead linked well with Alex Marsh, with the latter firing wide, and Luke Brown, in need of a confidence booster of a goal was neatly dispossessed, but Callum Stead ensured that a corner was awarded. Luke had a headed effort from this but it was saved by Remy Mitchell. Arsenal had a corner from a back pass that raised a few eyebrows as it went alarmingly close to the goal. Arsenal played it short, constructed an elaborate attack that resulted in the off-side flag.
Josh Coldicott-Stevens assistance enabled a shot from Luke Brown, which went for a corner. Hitchin had been enjoying good possession and had been going forward with confidence. Arsenal had been contained very well but Mathaus Roberts did fashion a shot that took a deflection over the cross bar for a corner. From this there was a shot that was well wide, Reuell Walters had a good run in possession but his final pass was inaccurate. Some defensive dithering by Henry Jeffcott led to a Hitchin free-kick, centrally, just outside the penalty area. This came to nothing special but a following effort looked the business – an indirect free-kick in the same area for obstruction, and this came off the post and took a touch for a corner, which was defended just a little awkwardly.
By the half-hour mark it was clear that Hitchin were comfortable – passing the ball well and containing Arsenal moves that tended to be somewhat elaborate, but we know that these youngsters are coached intensively on the principles of the modern game – yet it does them good to come up against the style that typifies teams from lower down in the Pyramid.
Arsenal had really not had a direct shot on target and they were not to succeed in theis until the second half – but now they were beginning to adapt and press more meaningfully. Rio Dasilva, cutting in from the left saw his pass put out for a corner and an Alex Brown cross was ably defended. Edwards had a shot blocked. A fine effort from Luke Brown was close to adding to the lead, Stead sent one wide and Marsh, just a yard or two out sent a short pass that just could not be reached by anyone in a yellow and green shirt.
Hitchin took this early lead to the interval and were good value for it and the second half saw a total of fourteen changes for both sides. Such changes are, of course, entirely usual in pre-season or friendly matches.
If you look into the board room, you will see a painting of a handshake between a Hitchin and Arsenal former captain. This is to commemorate the arrival of floodlights at Top field, and Arsenal were the guests at the special match. I say this because there was another bit of history as today, with Arsenal the visitors again, saw the opening of the three new covered terraces at the Fishponds Road end.
Hitchin started well enough, with efforts from Stead and Ryan Smith, whose wild and wide strike was disappointing. Josh Robinson showed his defensive skill in two separate moves before there was an almost comical and unexpected own goal. There had been good preparatory play involving Malachi Black, Max Ryan and Ryan Smith – and it was Alex Brown who sent in a cross that we could see was really going straight at substitute goal keeper, number thirteen Alex Kovacevic was perhaps a little unlucky, since it should have been a routine save, but he spilled it inexplicably into the net. Alex Brown thus has a moral claim as the scorer. Yes, there had been a bit of pressure but one would expect a save here. Only five minutes of the half had been played.
Hitchin did not sit on this and continued to attack, with good stuff from Alex Brown and Mal Black, and there was one occasion where Arsenal conceded a corner that risked giving a way a third own goal. Max Ryan in robustly blocking one shot received his reprimand but to me he looked entitled to make that challenge. Arsenal hit back with fine work from Lannin-Sweet and Quesada-Thorn and there was a really good ontarget shot from Mauro Bandeira that saw Horlock make an excellent save, down at the foot of the post. Charles Sague (Junior) shaped for a shot that was effectively blocked and a cross from Kye Tearle was held by Kovacevic.
Henry Snee was a little unfortunate when his effort struck the post and a good effort from Jimi Gower saw Horlock again make a decent save. A searching long pass to Amani Richards saw the shot clear the cross bar, but he had another go erelong and once more Horlock proved his value to Hitchin Town – since he saved the effort and then recovered sufficiently to thwart the follow-up. Alert goalkeeping indeed.
Skipper Dan Webb had a decent header from a corner that was inches wide, and in the remaining minutes the late Arsenal effort was well contained. Hitchin had applied themselves effectively and deserved this win against the young Gunners.
The final pre-season game is against Boreham Wood, who, coincidentally beat an Arsenal XI in their last match. This match is on Wednesday and is a 7:30 pm kick-off.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, Max Ryan, Alex Brown, Ryan Smith, (Delsin Akom), Dan Webb, captain, Lawrie Marsh, ( Darian Furlong), Alex Marsh, (Malachi Black), Josh Caldicott-Stevens, (Lewis Barker), Callum Stead, (Henry Snee), Luke Brown (Urijah Gordon-Douglas), Rio Dasilva, (Kye Tearle). Other substitute – Nathan Godfrey, GK.
ARSENAL U18
Remy Michell, Taylor Foran, Henry Jeffcott, Ismail Ouland M’Hand, Josh Robinson, OWN GOAL, 5 MINUTES, Mauro Bandeira, Reuell Walters, Matheus Roberts, K’hayon Edwards, Charles Sague, Jr., Tino Quamina, Substitutes used – James Lannin-Sweet, Alex Kovacevic, OWN GOAL, 50 MINUTES, Billy Vigar, Amani Richards, Jimi Gower, Timi Henry-Davies, Elian Queseda-Thorn, Kaleel Green. Other substitute – Luigi Gaspar.
REFEREE: Mr Wayne Cartmel, assisted by Mr Richard Wharton and Mr Nick Reece.
ATTENDANCE: 269
REPORT BY PIPEMAN